The deconstructed Standard Model equation - symmetry magazine
WEBThe deconstructed Standard Model equation. 07/28/16. By Rashmi Shivni. The Standard Model is far more than elementary particles arranged in a table. The Standard Model of particle physics is often visualized as a table, similar to the periodic table of elements, and used to describe particle properties, such as mass, charge and spin.
Ten things you might not know about antimatter
WEBAntimatter is the stuff of science fiction. In the book and film Angels and Demons, Professor Langdon tries to save Vatican City from an antimatter bomb.Star Trek’s starship Enterprise uses matter-antimatter annihilation propulsion for faster-than-light travel.. But antimatter is also the stuff of reality. Antimatter particles are almost identical to …
What is annihilation? - symmetry magazine
WEB02/15/22. By Graycen Wheeler. In particle physics, “annihilation” is a transformation. When you hear the word “annihilation,” you might think of a Marvel Comics storyline, or perhaps the first book in the Southern Reach Trilogy. Or you might just think of the dramatic common definition of the word: destruction to the point of non-existence.
Incredible hulking facts about gamma rays | symmetry magazine
WEBGamma rays (indirectly) give life to Earth. Hydrogen nuclei are always fusing together in the core of the sun. When this happens, one byproduct is gamma rays. The energy of the gamma rays keeps the sun’s core hot. Some of those gamma rays also escape into the sun's outer layers, where they collide with electrons and protons and lose energy.
What is a “particle”? - symmetry magazine
WEBEveryone has heard of Einstein’s famed E=mc 2. Part of what that means is that making a particle requires energy proportional to its mass. Neutrinos, which are very low mass, are easy to make; electrons have a higher threshold, while heavy Higgs bosons need a huge amount of energy. Photons are easiest of all to make, because they don't have ...
Five mysteries the Standard Model can’t explain
WEBOct 18, 2018 · The Standard Model is a thing of beauty. It is the most rigorous theory of particle physics, incredibly precise and accurate in its predictions. It mathematically lays out the 17 building blocks of nature: six quarks, six leptons, four force-carrier particles, and the Higgs boson. These are ruled by the electromagnetic, weak and strong forces.
Six fabulous facts about the Standard Model - symmetry magazine
WEBMar 16, 2021 · 4: The Standard Model needs at least 18 independent inputs . The Standard Model is quite a bit more complicated than the Pythagorean theorem. Whereas Pythagoras needed only two inputs to determine the length of the third side of a right triangle, the Standard Model needs values for at least 18 independent variables to predict the behaviors of subatomic particles.
The status of supersymmetry - symmetry magazine
WEBJan 12, 2021 · Supersymmetry more than doubles the number of particles in the Standard Model. The particles we currently know to exist can be divided into two categories: fermions and bosons. In supersymmetric theories, each particle has an as-yet undiscovered “superpartner” with many similar properties. Fermions are …
What is a photon? - symmetry magazine
WEBWhat physicists refer to as photons, other people might just call light. As quanta of light, photons are the smallest possible packets of electromagnetic energy. If you are reading this article on a screen or a page, streams of photons are carrying the images of the words to your eyes. In science, photons are used for more than just illumination.
The twin paradox - symmetry magazine
WEBThis longstanding question about special relativity is called the twin paradox. Suppose one in a set of twins sets off in a spaceship, travels to a distant star and then returns. On both legs of the trip, he accelerates to high velocity and then coasts for most of the journey. If the passage of time depends on velocity, the twin who stays on ...